A Werewolf's Tail
by Hollow Pursuits
Summary: Remus Lupin goes to Hogwarts, as told by Remus Lupin


**DISCLAIMER:  I do not own anything in this story.  Remus Lupin, Hogwarts and all associated things are the sole property and brainchild of J.K. Rowling.  In addition I am making no money off of this story it's just something to keep me from going insane at 3 o'clock in the morning when it's slow at work.**

By the way, this is the first part of the first chapter of this story, there will be more whether people like it or not although I would appreciate it if you would read and review. 

When we got the letter saying I'd been accepted at Hogwarts I didn't know what to think.  My mother cried.  And my dad, well he never did much of anything.  He just grunted and reached for another beer.  I guess I was in shock.  I'd never thought I'd get into Hogwarts with my condition.  I should have been ecstatic.  Me. Remus J. Lupin, attending the finest school of witchcraft and wizardry in the world.  However, any joy I might have felt was grossly overshadowed by apprehension.  Not only was I a hideous, terrifying monster, but also I had no social skills to speak of.  From the time I was 4 years old, when I developed my condition, I had never interacted with anyone other than my family.  I was somewhat up to date with the latest fads but I had no idea how to act around my peers.  I hoped I wouldn't be too much of an outcast.

My mother took me to Diagon Alley for my school supplies.  I'd only left our tiny cottage once in my life; I was completely overwhelmed by everything around me.  I've always been fond of quidditch and the sight of the brand new 'Shooting Star' was enough to take my breath away.  My mother had to drag me, protesting, from the window.  Mother bought me an owl, a great horned owl I named Archimedes, with her pin money.  I nearly cried.  She'd been saving up to buy the final plate in her collection.

Two days later my mother and, much to my surprise, my father accompanied me to King's Cross Station where I was to catch the train to school.  We arrived an hour and a half early.  I'd been up since 4:30 anxiously counting down the seconds before I was to go, checking and rechecking my trunk.  I was eagerly awaiting my new adventure and nearly dragged my parents out the door when the time came for us to leave.

As the train sat puffing beside us, my mother wiped her eyes and I suddenly didn't want to leave.  I was about to travel to a new school god knows how many miles from home, I had a hideous ailment which would make anyone flee from me, and my mother was crying.  As she blotted her tear stained face it occurred to me, for the first time in my life I was leaving my mother.  Who would take care of me when I was sick?  Who would comfort me when I was upset?  Who would tuck me in at night?  Suddenly my own eyes brimmed with tears.  I hugged my mother fiercely, sobbing against her chest.  What she said then must have taken a lot of courage.  She'd always been overprotective and now, here was her only chick leaving the nest.  She held me at arms length and said to me: "Remus, you are the sunshine on a cloudy day.  You're going to go to school and become the best damn wizard in the world.  You're going to make a lot of friends and you're going to have fun.  I love you.  More than anything else, I love you."  She paused then, and continued so softly I could barely hear her although my hearing is exceptionally good, "No matter where you are, no matter what happens.  I will always be with you."  With that she kissed me and shooed me onto the train.  I think, in retrospect, she knew then that she'd never see me again.

I settled myself into an empty compartment and my mother and father disapparated home.  I took out a book and tried not to cry.  Fortunately for me I was soon engrossed in 'The Lord of the Flies' and had almost forgotten that I even had a mother, let alone that I was leaving her for the fist time in my life.  The train pulled away from the station just as Jack and the twins were recounting the killing of the pig.  The compartment door slid open and I found myself facing 4 boys.  A boy with blonde, almost white hair, a boy with black greasy shoulder length hair, and what appeared to be two gorillas.  I looked at them over my book.  I cleared my throat, I wasn't sure if I was supposed to introduce myself or if they should introduce themselves.  The blonde boy spoke, answering my unspoken question.  "I'm Malfoy." He jerked his head to the greasy boy beside him, "this is Snape," and, indicating the two gorillas, "Crabbe and Goyle. And you are?"

"Remus, uh Lupin, Remus Lupin." 

 Malfoy indicated to the seats in the compartment. "Are you going to invite us to sit down or not?" he asked.

I moved my rucksack to the overhead rack and they sat down.  I fumbled my book shut and placed it beside me.  Malfoy, Snape, Crabbe and Goyle were ignoring me.  I sat back and listened to their conversation.

"Father wanted me to go to Durmstrang," Malfoy was saying, "He's a friend of the headmaster.  My mother wanted me closer to home though.  They take a much more practical view of the dark arts there, they actually teach the dark arts instead of this 'defense' rubbish they teach at Hogwarts.  My father says that when he went to Hogwarts they didn't allow riff raff muggle borne into the school.  Only pure students from pure wizarding families were allowed in.  Now that Dumbledore has become headmaster though, well, the place has gone to the dogs."

I felt a twinge of anger at Malfoy's last statement; I had a deep respect for Professor Dumbledore.  I wasn't sure I liked these boys and their ideals; after all, I could be considered some of the riff raff they disliked.  My mother's mother was a muggle.  As the voyage progressed I liked my new compartment mates less and less.  I had never seen such prejudice, and hatred especially in some so young.  I didn't wan to imagine what they'd do if they found out there was a werewolf in their midst.  Probably beat me to death, chop off my head and stick a willow branch in my heart.  I was just thankful that they didn't ask me any questions; in fact they barely acknowledged that I was present at all.  After an interminable time we arrived at Hogsmeade station.  Upon the train platform was the largest man I have ever seen in my life.  He was easily twice as tall as a regular man with a thick mane and beard of unruly black hair.  He called the first years over to him and led us to a platoon of little boats.  I got into a boat with three boys who appeared to be friends.  They smiled at me but didn't say anything, I sat in the front of the boat and didn't look round at them.  My stomach was rolling with anticipation, and I put my head between my knees.  I heard an excited gasp behind me and looked up to behold Hogwarts.  The castle stood outlined against the black sky, twinkling with a thousand lights.  This was where I was to spend the next seven years of my life, my stomach gave another lurch and I threw up.  

One of the boys behind me spoke, "that was nice, I hope I don't have to share a dorm with you."

'Welcome to Hogwarts,' I though to myself.


End file.
